Page 70 of Let It Be Me
He sighs and leans back in his chair. “Zoey is hesitant of course. All she knows is her Mom and I together. Thomas on the other hand is too young to understand what my dating someone who isn’t his Mom means. I mean, it makes sense since he wasn’t even walking.”
“Dating is terrifying,” I admit.
Jeff turns his grey gaze, which shines with unshed emotion, to me. “Yeah, but being lonely is even more terrifying. For the record, me dating Olivia isn’t me filling some sort of void.”
“So what is it between you two?” I ask and sit back in the chair and get comfortable.
“It’s like watching the first snow fall of the season. So peaceful, but also fun.” Jeff says it all with a smile and I can’t help but bask in his happiness.
“Her age doesn’t bother you? Wait, how did you two meet? No offense, but you two don’t look like you’d run in the same kind of crowd.”
He swats at my hand that’s on the arm of the chair. “I take offense to that. And happy hour at Breakers of all places.”
My eyes widened at the name of the bar we used to frequent. “You went to happy hour?”
“I get out on occasion when I can get a babysitter. But, yes. She was there for a birthday and was dared to kiss a stranger of her friends’ choosing.”
“Scandalous,” I feign shock. “But also those are the kindof games I’d expect the younger crowd to play. Let me guess, the kiss was love at first sight?”
“Not at first. And no her age doesn’t bother me,” he admits with a faraway look on his face.
“If anyone deserves happiness, it’s you.”
He looks at me and smiles. “So do you.”
“Thanks. Have you introduced her to the kids?”
“I want to. But until Zoey is comfortable with me dating someone else, I’m going to wait. Olivia is also understanding.”
We tease each other about our love lives and he loops me in on what’s happening around the office before I say goodbye to him a little while later to head to my car to make the short drive to Kamryn’s house. Or should I say Mason and Kamryn’s house. To say I’m still shocked that she agreed to move if he found them a place to live that was spacious for all of them is an understatement. While I’ll miss her cozy little house, it was just that. Little. And not the best place for her huge quarterback boyfriend and her two pets.
I pull into the long driveway and park off to the side. I don’t pay any mind to the extra cars in the driveway as it’s probably a crew they hired to start planning the remodels. These two have been in full go-go mode for the last two months to make this house a permanent home and Kamryn is picky. On the walk to the front door, my phone buzzes with a text from my favorite guy.
Riley: T minus how many hours until you’re back home?
Me: Someone’s needy.
Riley: Yes. Yes, I am.
Me: You can survive a few hours without me.
Me: I’m about to walk into Kamryn’s and then I’ll be home.
I knock on the front door and open up without waiting for an answer. Should I wait? Definitely. I’ve found my friends in too many compromising positions to count and have seen way more than I ever wanted to see. I keep my eyes to the floor as I make my way to the kitchen.
“Happy birthday!” Cheers greet me when I walk by the living room and my phone slips from my hands, clattering to the floor.
I look around the room at my friends and the athletes I’ve worked with who’ve become friends. And in the center of the group is Riley holding up a banner. Kamryn is the first to break from the group and tackle me in a hug.
“Did we pull it off?”
“Did you see my face?” I ask rhetorically. “How..?”
She pulls back but leaves her hands on my shoulders. “It was all Riley’s idea. He texted me a couple of weeks ago about setting up a surprise party for you.”
“He did?” I ask and my gaze moves over to him as he talks animatedly with Mason.
“Yeah. He’s a good one. And maybe a little hurt that you didn’t tell him when your birthday was.”
